The Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies has opened. It represents an enormous majority of the Soviets. A number of delegates from the Peasant Soviets are also present at the Congress. The mandate of the compromising Central Executive Committee has expired.{6} Relying on the will of an enormous majority of workers, soldiers and peasants, relying on the victorious insurrection of workers and the garrison that has taken place in Petrograd, the Congress takes power into its own hands.

The Provisional Government has been overthrown. The majority of members of the Provisional Government have already been arrested.

Soviet power will propose an immediate democratic peace to all peoples and an immediate armistice on all fronts. It will ensure the gratuitous transfer of landowners' estates, appanage lands and monastery lands into the disposal of peasant committees, will defend the rights of soldiers by carrying out complete democratization of the army, will establish workers' control over production, will ensure the timely convocation of the Constituent Assembly, will take steps to deliver grain to the cities and necessities to the countryside, will ensure to all nations inhabiting Russia genuine rights to self-determination.

The Congress decrees: all power in the localities passes to the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies, who must ensure genuine revolutionary order.

The Congress appeals to soldiers in the trenches for vigilance and steadfastness. The Congress of Soviets is confident that the revolutionary army will be able to defend the revolution from any encroachments of imperialism until the new government achieves the conclusion of a democratic peace, which it will directly propose to all peoples. The new government will take all measures to ensure the revolutionary army has everything necessary through a decisive policy of requisitions and levies on the propertied classes, and will also improve the situation of soldiers' families.

The Kornilovists—Kerensky, Kaledin and others—are attempting to march troops against Petrograd. Several detachments, set in motion by Kerensky through deception, have gone over to the side of the insurgent people.

Soldiers, offer active opposition to the Kornilovist Kerensky! Be on your guard!

Railroad workers, stop all echelons being sent by Kerensky to Petrograd!

Soldiers, workers, clerks—in your hands lies the fate of the revolution and the fate of democratic peace!

Long live the revolution!

The All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies

Delegates from the Peasant Soviets

Written October 25 (November 7), 1917